St Mary and St Andrew’s Catholic Primary School, Barton Newsham

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and happy in this warm and friendly school. Pupils who are new to school are immediately welcomed into the 'SMSA family'.

Pupils enjoy strong, affirming relationships with caring staff. Pupils know that there are trusted adults who they can speak to about any worries that they may have. This includes those in the breakfast and after-school club.

The school has high aspirations for pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Typically, pupils achieve well across the curriculum. They want to do their best and they work hard to live up to the school's expectations.

Pupils behave well and classrooms are typi...cally calm and purposeful.

Pupils enjoy a wide range of clubs, such as chess, jujitsu, multi-sports and computer coding. They relish roles of responsibility, which allow them to make a positive contribution to their school community.

For instance, pupil monitors remind their classmates how to move sensibly around the school. Play leaders support younger pupils to cooperate fairly in games on the playground. Pupil ambassadors show visitors around the school and organise fundraising events, such as a recent coffee afternoon for a cancer charity.

These special jobs help pupils grow in confidence.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Despite a period of staffing turbulence, the school has continued to move forward. For example, the school has strengthened the curriculum in many subjects.

This has allowed pupils to develop a deep understanding in most of these subjects. In the early years, children make a positive start. The school has designed a curriculum for these pupils that inspires children to learn and prepares them well for key stage 1.

In a small number of subjects, the school has not considered the gaps that some pupils have in their knowledge, due to weaknesses in previous curriculums. This means that pupils lack the secure knowledge needed to support new learning. As a result, pupils do not achieve as well as they could in these subjects.

Governors have supported the school in making changes to increase the ambition of the curriculum. They know the school well and share the school's vision for continual improvement. Governors are especially mindful of the importance of staff well-being.

Staff feel appreciated and their workload is given careful consideration. They value the peer support they get from each other and they enjoy working at the school.

The school quickly identifies pupils with SEND.

Thorough, individual support plans are drawn up alongside pupils and their parents and carers. These are regularly reviewed and adjusted according to need. Teachers are then able to provide precise support that allows pupils with SEND to access the same ambitious curriculum as their friends.

The school makes sure that reading takes centre stage. In the early years, children get off to a flying start in phonics. Staff ensure that children quickly learn the sounds and letters that they need to begin to read.

Any pupil struggling to learn their sounds receives timely and effective support. This helps them to catch up quickly. By the end of key stage 1, most pupils are fluent and accurate readers.

Pupils of all ages love to read. Older pupils know that reading is important. They understand that reading well helps them with other subjects and that it has a positive impact on their mental well-being.

Clear routines instilled from the start of the early years, and a strong understanding of the school's values, help pupils to behave well. Pupils are enthusiastic in lessons and join in eagerly. Staff respond swiftly to stop any low-level disruption.

The promotion of pupils' personal development is extremely well thought out. Visiting authors, musicians and speakers include people from different faiths and cultures. This contributes significantly to pupils' deep understanding of fundamental British values.

Along with trips to castles, museums and theatres, these experiences really bring the curriculum to life. A comprehensive programme for personal, social and health education also responds to any issues as they arise. Pupils learn how to maintain healthy relationships with others.

They have an exceptionally mature understanding of how to look after their bodies and minds. For example, pupils told inspectors that fresh air, exercise and sleep are beneficial to both physical and mental well-being. The wide range of additional responsibilities taken up by pupils, including those with SEND, contributes to a strong development of character.

The school takes effective action to support the small number of pupils who do not attend as well as they should. As a result, attendance rates are high. Parents are extremely positive about the school and its place in the community.

They appreciate the efforts made by all staff to involve them in their children's learning.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of foundation subjects, the school has not fully considered where pupils may have gaps in important knowledge.

This means that pupils are sometimes introduced to new learning without a secure foundation of key knowledge. This hinders them from learning all that they should. The school should ensure that the curriculum clearly identifies potential gaps in learning and teachers address these gaps so that pupils can learn the curriculum as intended.